Chapter 5

My voice came out in a low volume that only he and I could hear.

“Thank you,” I breathed.

He glanced at me, and as our eyes met, it felt like he could see through me. Piercing and intense.

“You don’t have to thank me all the time,” Matthias said. His hand rested comfortably on my arm.

The touch made my scalp and spine tingle comfortably.

“I know,” I responded with.

My neck still hurt a little from the way Dominic had held it. Inwardly I wondered if I had been so blind before to not see the way he truly treated me.

Well, the mask was off and I wasn’t going to let anyone else try to deceive me.

“Thinking again,” the familiar smooth baritone made my heart skip.

I looked up.

Matthias had gotten much closer to me. Unwittingly my body felt hot all over, and I took a step back only to find my back still pressed to the wall.

“I was only contemplating a few things,” I feigned calm, though my heart pounded madly in my chest. “About my position.”

Mentioning the diplomat position made his eyes twinkle and he chuckled.

Being so close to me, I could practically feel his breath fan against my face.

“Are you reconsidering?” He asked, half joking, half serious.

I shook my head.

“I never thought of that,” I stated truthfully.

I had already made my decision a long time ago and no one was going to stop me.

My body had only just finished recovering from the effects of the broken mate bond. After this encounter with Dominic all I wanted to do was to rest and pretend like the entire day was just a dream.

But Matthias seemed to have other ideas.

“Well,” he straightened, adjusting the cuff links on his shirt. The motion drew my attention to his hands, his broad palms and long, elegant fingers. “The meeting’s over. Join me for lunch.”

I pursed my lips, then nodded.

Without warning he took me by the hand and pulled me closer, leading me towards his office.

Though the meeting had ended half an hour ago, there were still a few pack members hanging around. With Matthias by my side, I could feel the gazes of those that saw us together. Whispers rose up in the air, making my face flush.

A stirring of embarrassment nearly made me look down at my feet.

The braveness I had when I confronted the Elders and Dominic before had all but faded away into the distance.

But then I glanced at the man, the Alpha walking beside me. His long strides, confident posture, it sent a shiver through me. A good one.

Now that Matthias had made things clear, and I had become a core member of the Pack, I couldn't pretend like things were the same as before.

I had to earn my place. And prove to everyone that doubted me that I wasn’t just a trophy.

Dominic’s words from before had gotten to me, it was true.

But I pretended nothing affected me. Everyone knew he had slept with my stepsister. And that meant that there was nothing stopping me from doing whatever it took to prove I was better than him.

The way to Matthias’ office was quiet.

As soon as I stepped in, I exhaled slightly. He released my hand and ordered for lunch to be sent, leaving me briefly to head over to the small bar by the side.

I had set foot in this study only a couple of times.

The portrait on the wall behind his desk was prominent, showing a man full of intimidating aura.

He was handsome when he was younger, I thought, my cheeks flushed as I wondered how much of Dominic’s physique could ever compare to his father’s.

Between the two of them, I realized, Matthias held a lot more steel in his eyes when he was Dominic’s age.

I took a step closer, unable to help but want to reach out and—

“Why stare,” Matthias questioned from behind. His scent mingled with the cologne he wore as he leaned in. “When you can have the real thing in front of you?”

I coughed lightly, trying so hard to not look embarrassed or flustered.

It was difficult.

He was being difficult.

But perhaps that’s what made him the Alpha he was.

I was handed a glass, cool and filled with a sparkling liquid that shimmered in the light and had a floral scent.

“Drink,” he said.

I took a sip, my brows raised in surprise as the fruity tang hit my tongue.

“Not wine, or champagne?” I noted softly.

He raised a brow as he sat on the couch and beckoned for me to sit beside him.

“It’s still early in the day,” he sounded a mix of amused and chastising, which made my heart skip a little. “And you don’t need your mind muddled.”

I chose to sit across from him, and our eyes met. He didn’t say anything, but his lips twitched.

“True,” I replied, crossing my legs. The chair was comfortable and I relaxed.

“You handled yourself well out there today,” he said, and the warmth in his voice was not hard to miss.

I pursed my lips.

“Do you mean the meeting or with Dominic?” I asked.

Matthias replied succinctly, “Both. The Elders have never dared to overstep their boundaries before. This incident triggered a few to do so.”

“Elder Marcus,” I remembered him being one of the ringleaders of today’s farce. “He doesn’t seem to like me.”

“He likes propriety. You aren't the issue. He simply detests not being in control. He’s always been that way. But he knows now not to mess with you.”

Matthias’ words were reassuring and I swallowed another gulp of the wine, trying to steady my rapidly beating heart.

“And Dominic?” I asked after a beat.

His fingers tapped on the arm of the couch, making dull, barely audible thuds on leather.

“He reacted as I expected,” Matthias said, his eyes now trained on mine. It was almost like he was surveying my expression, searching for hints of hesitation. Or perhaps he wanted to know if I was scared. “You handled it as best you could.”

The door was being knocked on and Matthias called out, “Enter.”

Lunch was brought in by two maids, one young and one older. They bowed to both of us and began to place the dishes on the small table in front of us.

My eyes widened slightly as I saw all the meals.

Braised fish.

Baked russet potatoes with a creamy cheese sauce.

And more.

All my favorite meals.

I was speechless; how did the Alpha come to find out I liked these foods? We hadn’t yet shared a meal for him to notice.

As if he could see the questions in my eyes he asked, “Do you not like it?”

As if I could say no.

I found myself unable to keep from glancing at him every now and then throughout the start of the meal. I hadn’t eaten in the Alpha’s home before. Not even with Dominic.

Dominic always had some excuse for why he never took me to see his father.

Either it was ‘he was busy’ or ‘I have some work to do and can’t take you’ or ‘It’s not a big deal, stop making it an issue’.

And now, I deeply regretted it, because the food was absolutely damn delicious. The chefs here were one of the best in the city, and I had never gotten a chance to taste a homemade meal from them.

The first forkful made me let out a sound I didn't even know was possible. I closed my eyes, tasting the decadent sauce mingled with the potatoes, fish and sautéed vegetables.

The sound of Matthias’ chuckle reminded me I wasn’t alone.

…